lucky303

I love best-of lists and reading wrap-ups. As 2023 comes to a close, it's time to sit, think, and write such a post. I always do it with pleasure.  It was a rather good year. I've read a lot and discovered some excellent reads. Contrary to previous years, my 2023 wrap-up is dominated by fun, pulpy, and entertaining, with just a few "serious" works thrown in the mix.  I guess it's because the year has been intense and I simply gravitated toward easier, more accessible books. I've rediscovered my love for thrillers and mysteries but I won't list them because it's a fantasy website, after all. That said, some of my most thrilling reads this year were all thrillers. I'll mention a few standouts here, in case someone here is interested: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn, False Witness by Karin Slaughter,  The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson, and  The Traitor by Ava Glass. I hope some of you will find inspiration here and maybe discover something wort...

Book links: Amazon, Goodreads AUTHOR INFO:   Max Barry is the author of numerous novels, including Company, Machine Man, and Lexicon. He is also the developer of the online nation simulation game NationStates. Prior to his writing career, Barry worked at tech giant HP. He lives in Melbourne, Australia, with his wife and two daughters. To learn more, visit maxbarry.com or follow @MaxBarry on Twitter. Publisher : Penguin Books ( Apr 01, 2014) Print  length: 416 p Formats: ebook, paperback, audiobook   “Vartix velkor mannik wissick” I believe in the power of words. So do the Poets. Not daydreaming ones. Nope. I’m speaking about a secret society whose members adopt names of renowned poets like Yeats and Eliot, and who refined their language and persuasion skills to bend others to their will. The book follows two main threads that eventually converge. The first follows Emily , a young woman with a natural ability to influence others. Poets recruit her and teach her tha...